Psalms 129

1 A SONG OF THE ASCENTS. Often they distressed me from my youth, Pray, let Israel say:

“A psalm of the steps, or the goings up.” Much have they afflicted me from my youth, May Israel now say;

2 Often they distressed me from my youth, Yet they have not prevailed over me.

Much have they afflicted me from my youth, Yet have they not prevailed against me.

3 Plowers have plowed over my back, They have made their furrows long.

The ploughers ploughed up my back; They made long their furrows;

4 YHWH [is] righteous, He has cut apart cords of the wicked.

But the LORD was righteous; He cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

5 All hating Zion [are] confounded and turn backward.

Let all be driven back with shame Who hate Zion!

6 They are as grass of the roofs, That withers before it was drawn out,

Let them be as grass upon the house-tops, Which withereth before one pulleth it up;

7 That has not filled the hand of a reaper, And the bosom of a binder of sheaves.

With which the reaper filleth not his hand, Nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom!

8 And the passers by have not said, “The blessing of YHWH [is] on you, We blessed you in the Name of YHWH!”

And they who pass by do not say, “The blessing of the LORD be upon you! We bless you in the name of the LORD!”